Diaphragm-curtain fixture.



R. T. AXE. DIAPHRAGM CURTAIN FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1912.

1,097,1 1 9, Patented May 19, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 WITNESSES: INVENTOR f j H v ATTORNEYS R. T. AXE.

DIAPHRAGM CURTAIN FIXTURE.

APPLICATION IILBD NOV. 22, 1912.

1,097,1 1 9, I Patented May 19, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROY T. AXE, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO OLIVER M. EDWARDS, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

DIAPHRAGM-CURTAIN FIXTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1914.

Application filed November 22, 1912. Serial No. 732,931.

I '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROY T. AXE, of Syr cuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Diaphragm-Curtain Fixture, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to diaphragm eurtains used in connection with the vestibules of railway cars and has for its object a fixture for securing the free edges of such curtains to the cars to which they are temporarily attached, and it consists in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of the vestibules of two cars coupled together, and provided. with my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation oi the fixture for impositively connecting the free edges of the curtains to the cars to which the curtains are temporarily attached. Fig. 3 is a plan of parts seen in Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a plan similar to Fig. 3, illustrating the positions of the parts of the fixture prior to their engagement, the spring-pressed jaws being shown as moved from each other against the action of the spring for normally forcing said jaws toward each other.

1 and 2 designate the vestibules of the cars, the vestibules being here shown as including the usual bellows 3.

at are oppositely arranged vertical. diapl'uiagm curtains tor shielding the bellows, each of the curtains 4L winding on a spring roller 5 fixed in vertical position to an up right frame member 6 of the vestibule of one oi the cars, the free edge of the curtain being normally temporarily secured to an upright frame member 7 on the adjoining car.

The construction of the vestibule, per 86, forms no part of this invention and as such construction is well known, further description thereof is thought to be unnecessary.

8 and 9 are members constituting part of the fixture for securing the free edge of the curtain to the car to which the curtain is temporarily attached, the member 8 being carried by, and permanently secured to, the curtain and provided with means for impositively looking with the member 9 so that the members 8 and 9 will separate when the curtain 1s sub ected to abnormal strain, as when the cars have been uncoupled and the workman has neglected to disengage the members 8 and 9. As the member 8 is per manently attaehed'to the curtain all parts which are normally attached or associated with the curtain, will remain therewith upon such separation of the members 8 and 9 and hence there is no liability of losing parts of the fixture.

The member 8 is here shown as comprising a body 10 bifurcated to embrace the rod. 11 at the free end of the curtain, the bifurcations thereof being clamped together at the inner side of such rod, in any suitable manner as by the bolts 12.

The means for impositively engaging the member 9 comprises spring pressed jaws 13, 14 having lugs extending rearwardly from the opposite end portions of each jaw and pivoted to the body 10 by a common pivot or hinge pin 15 supported adjacent opposite ends from the free end of the curtain, said jaws being elongated and having their longer axes disposed in parallelism with the axis of the pin 15, and said jaws having diverging arms or cams 16 at their free ends designed to engage the member 9 as the I other end of the spring bearing against the lowerreaiwvardly extending lug on the other of said jaws.

The member 8 which is permanently attached to the curtain also includes a grab handle 18 provided at the advance end of the cam 16 projecting from the outer jaw 13, the handle 18 being deflected outwardly into such position that it can be conveniently held in the hand without interfering with the member 9. This member 9 is also in the form of a grab handle or closed eye having a vertical portion which is round in cross section and the jaws 13, 1 1 are provided with inner faces shaped to fit the vertical portion of the member 9.

In operation when it is desired to place the curtain in operative position, the trainman takes hold of the handle 18 and pulls the same to unwind the curtain oflf the spring roller 5 toward the member 9 on the other car, and as the member 8 approaches the member 9, the cams 16 engage the member 9 causing the jaws to separate to receive said member.

If the curtain is subjected to abnormal strain, as when the cars are uncoupled and the members 8 and 9 have not been separa ted against the action of the spring 17, the jaws 13 and 1 1- will separate and the member S will remain with the curtain.

This fixture is an improvement on the fixture of the application of Michael H. Long, Sr. No. 691,679, filed April 18, 1912, and in said application, the member associated with the curtain separates from the curtain so that there is a liability of the same becoming lost.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with two vestibule cars, of a vestibule curtain associated with one of the cars and adapted to be temporarily attached to the other car, and means for temporarily attaching the free end of the curtain to such other car, said means comprising a member carried by, and permanently secured to, the curtain, and a member carried by the car to which the curtain is temporarily attached, the member carried by the curtain comprising a spring pressed jaw for engaging the member carried by the car, and a cam in advance of the spring pressed jaw for engaging the member carried by the car and causing the jaw to open to receive the member carried by the car, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination with two vestibule cars, or a vestibule curtain associated with one oi the cars and adapted to be temporarily attached to the other car, and means for temporarily attaching the free end of the curtain to such other car, said means comprising a member carried by, and permanently secured to, the curtain, and a member carried by the'car to which the curtain is temporarily attach-ed, the member carried by the curtain comprising opposing spring pressed pivoted jaws for impositively interlocking with the member carried by the car, and diverging cams at the advance ends of the jaws, the cams being located to engage the member carried by the car, as the jaws are being brought into engagement with said member, and to cause the jaws to open to receive the member carried by the car, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. in combination with two vestibule cars, a vestibule curtain associated with one of the cars and adapted to be temporarily attached to the other, and means for temporarily attaching the free end of the curtain to such other car, said means comprising pivoted jaws carried by the free end of the curtain and arranged in advance of said end, a closed eye carried by the other car for engagement by said jaws, and a hand engaging part on one of the jaws, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

1. A. diaphragm curtain fixture comprising a closed eye, spring-pressed aws mounted at the free end of the curtain, a cam associated with the jaws, and a handle also associated with the jaws, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. A diaphragm curtain fixture comprising an eye, spring-pressed jaws for engagement therewith, said jaws being mounted at the free end of the curtain, diverging cams at the advance ends of the jaws, and a hand engaging part associated with one of the jaws, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

(5. The combination with a spring roller mounted in one car, and an eye secured to the adjacent car, of means for detachably coimecting the free end of the curtain to said eye comprising a pivot pin secured to the free end of the curtain and extending with its axis parallel to said end, elongated jaw members having their longer axes extending in parallelism with the axis of said pin and having rearwardly extending portions mounted on the pin, and a spring coiled about the pin and having its opposite ends cooperating with the jaw members, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7 A diaphragm curtain fixture comprising a member carried by, and permanently secured to, the curtain and including opposing spring pressed jaws, diverging cams at the advance ends of the jaws, and a grab handle carried at the advance end of one of the cams, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. A diaphragm curtain fixture comprising a member including a body permanently secured to the free end of the curtain, and spring pressed jaws pivoted to the body on a pivot common to both, the jaws being provided with diverging cams projecting from their free ends, and one of the cams terminating in an outwardly turned handle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. In a curtain fixture and in combination, a pivot pin rigidly supported adjacent opposite ends from the free end of the curtain, elongated companion semi-cylindrical jaws having their longer axes disposed in parallelism with the axis of said pin, lugs extending rearwardly from the opposite end portions of each jaw and provided with eyes for receiving said pin, and a spring coiled about the intermediate portion of the pin and having one end cooperating with the upper lug of one of the jaws and having its other end cooperating with the lower lug of the other jaw, substantially as and for the purpose described.

10. In a curtain fixture and in combination, a pivot pin rigidly supported adjacent opposite ends from the free end of the curtain, elongated companion semi-cylindrical jaws having their longer axes disposed in parallelism with the axis of said pin, lugs extending rearwardly from the opposite end portions of each jaw and provided with eyes for receiving said pin, a spring coiled. about the intermediate portion of the pin and having one end cooperating with the upper lug of one of the jaws and having its other end cooperating with the lower lug of the other jaw, and diverging parts extending from the front edges of said jaws, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 15th day of November, 1912.

ROY 'I. AXE.

lVitnesses L. M. BURTON, S. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

